– Discover Weapons and Arrest Three
By Jerromie S. Walters
MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The national headquarters of Liberia’s primary opposition party, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), was forcibly evicted and demolished Saturday, August 23, 2025, in a pre-dawn operation led by court sheriffs and backed by a heavy contingent of joint security forces. The action, stemming from a protracted and complex legal battle over land ownership, took a dramatic turn with the arrest of three individuals and the discovery of a cache of dangerous materials, including a firearm, petrol bombs, and diplomatic passports.
The eviction commenced precisely at 6:00 AM on Saturday, under the authority of a writ of possession issued by the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Monrovia. Police cordons were established around the sprawling 12.92-acre compound in Congo Town as court sheriffs, escorted by armed officers, moved in to execute the order. The operation proceeded without overt resistance from party members, allowing crews to begin the systematic demolition of all structures on the premises.
Before midday, the CDC’s administrative building, a vocational school, a stage used for political rallies, and several residential buildings had been reduced to rubble. The Liberia National Police (LNP), in a statement released Friday, had framed the operation as a strict matter of legal procedure, emphasizing its constitutional duty to enforce court mandates impartially.
Unexpected Discoveries and Arrests
During a sweep of the vacated premises, law enforcement officers uncovered a concerning arsenal. The discovery included several improvised petrol bombs, live rounds of ammunition, and one firearm.
Perhaps most startling was the finding of two diplomatic passports inside a building believed to be owned by Jefferson T. Koijee, the former Mayor of Monrovia and the CDC’s Secretary-General.
The passports bore Koijee’s photograph.
The discoveries led to the immediate arrest of three individuals found on the property. Among those apprehended was William C. Wea, alleged to be a former commissioner of West Point Township. Police sources reported that one suspect attempted to resist arrest by deploying pepper spray against security officers. Another individual claimed his presence was merely to retrieve personal belongings, a statement authorities are investigating.
Deputy Police Inspector for Operations, Cllr. Nelson Freeman, addressed the media amidst the ongoing operation, striking a cautious tone. He confirmed the findings but declined to speculate on their significance, stating the investigation was in its earliest stages.
“The situation remains fluid, and we are investigating all findings thoroughly,” Cllr. Freeman told reporters. “We reserve further comments until the investigation is concluded.”
The Legal Labyrinth:
Saturday’s eviction is the culmination of a long and bitter legal dispute over the prime parcel of land. The case involves the intestate estate of the late William Thomas Bernard and his widow, Danilette Tucker Bernard. The property was jointly acquired during the couple’s marriage and had housed the CDC’s headquarters for over two decades.
The legal journey reached Liberia’s Supreme Court last week. In a pivotal ruling, the high court upheld the eviction order but also delivered a significant legal clarification. It overturned a lower court’s decision that had granted sole ownership of the property to Mrs. Bernard based on the principle of survivorship.
The justices ruled that survivorship rights expire upon the dissolution of a marriage by death, meaning the property should have reverted to William Thomas Bernard’s estate for proper probate administration to determine the lawful distribution among all rightful heirs. This ruling, while confirming the CDC’s lack of a legal right to occupy the land, fundamentally reshaped the underlying ownership dispute among the Bernard heirs.
In the hours leading up to the eviction, the CDC launched a fervent legal counteroffensive. The party’s National Chairman, Janga Kowo, announced in a statement on Friday that the CDC had filed and perfected appeals in two related cases at the Civil Law Court. The appeal bonds were approved by Judge George Smith on August 22, 2025, and copies were served on the estate’s representative, Ebrima Varney Dempster.
The party’s legal challenges include an appeal of a dismissed “Specific Performance” lawsuit, through which the
